Method and apparatus for tracing mobile sessions

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining a path supporting a mobile session to identify the underlying transport elements supporting the path. In various embodiments mobile session tracing is implemented within a network such as a Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network by determining elements in a path supporting a mobile session of a user equipment (UE) having an specific identifier, such as an IP address or terminal identification number.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for determining a path of a mobile session of a user equipment (UE) having an identifier associated therewith, the method comprising:
 using at least one processor for:
 determining an IP address of the UE using the identifier associated with the UE; 
 determining a PDN Gateway (PGW) supporting the mobile session using the IP address of the UE; 
 determining a Serving Gateway (SGW) supporting the mobile session using a list of a plurality of SGWs associated with the PGW and the identifier associated with the UE; and 
 determining an eNodeB supporting the mobile session using a list of bearers supported by the SGW and the identifier associated with the UE. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the PGW supporting the mobile session using the IP address of the UE comprises:
 determining one of a plurality of subnets with which the UE is associated using the IP address of the UE; and 
 determining one of a plurality of PGWs supporting the mobile session using the subnet with which the UE is associated. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining one of a plurality of bearers associated with the respective one of the PGWs supporting the mobile session. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifier associated with the UE is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the UE. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifier associated with the UE comprises one or more of a user name, an IMSI and a serial number of the UE. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the SGW supporting the mobile session using a list of a plurality of SGWs associated with the PGW and the identifier associated with the UE comprises:
 determining a plurality of bearers supported by the PGW supporting the mobile session; 
 determining the list of SGWs associated with the PGW based on the bearers supported by the PGW; and 
 determining the SGW supporting the mobile session from the list of SGWs associated with the PGW using the identifier of the UE. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the bearers supported by the PGW comprise a plurality of S5/S8 bearers between the PGW supporting the mobile session and the SGW supporting the mobile session. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the eNodeB supporting the mobile session using the list of bearers supported by the SGW and the identifier associated with the UE comprises:
 determining a plurality of bearers supported by the SGW supporting the mobile session; and 
 determining the eNodeB supporting the mobile session from bearers supported by the SGW using the identifier of the UE. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the bearers supported by the SGW comprise a plurality of S1-u bearers between the SGW supporting the mobile session and the eNodeB supporting the mobile session. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the path of the mobile session is a first path of a first mobile session of the UE, the method further comprising:
 determining a second path of a second mobile session of the UE using the identifier associated with the UE. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 initiating determination of the path of the mobile session of the UE manually via a management system or automatically by a management system in response to a trigger condition. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to determining the IP address of the UE, determining the identifier associated with the UE. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile session of the UE has mobile session information associated therewith. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one of storing at least a portion of the mobile session information, displaying at least a portion of the mobile session information, and propagating at least a portion of the mobile session information. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a graphical representation of the determined path of the mobile session through the wireless network. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating graphical imagery configured for being displayed over a graphical representation of the wireless network for displaying the determined path of the mobile session through the wireless network; and 
 propagating the graphical imagery toward at least one device configured for displaying the graphical imagery. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining additional information associated with at least one of the determined path of the mobile session of the UE, the mobile session of the UE, and the UE. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 initiating at least one management function associated with the determined path of the mobile session of the UE. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein initiating the at least one management function comprises at least one of:
 initiating at least one operations/administration/maintenance (OAM) operation for the mobile session; and 
 initiating reconfiguration of at least a portion of the wireless network. 
 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for determining a path of a mobile session of a user equipment (UE) having an identifier associated therewith, the method comprising:
 determining an IP address of the UE using the identifier associated with the UE; 
 determining a PDN Gateway (PGW) supporting the mobile session using the IP address of the UE; 
 determining a Serving Gateway (SGW) supporting the mobile session using a list of a plurality of SGWs associated with the PGW and the identifier associated with the UE; and 
 determining an eNodeB supporting the mobile session using a list of bearers supported by the SGW and the identifier associated with the UE. 
 
     
     
       21. An apparatus for determining a path of a mobile session of a user equipment (UE) having an identifier associated therewith, the apparatus comprising:
 a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor configured to:
 determine an IP address of the UE using the identifier associated with the UE; 
 determine a PDN Gateway (PGW) supporting the mobile session using the IP address of the UE; 
 determine a Serving Gateway (SGW) supporting the mobile session using a list of a plurality of SGWs associated with the PGW and the identifier associated with the UE; and 
 determine an eNodeB supporting the mobile session using a list of bearers supported by the SGW and the identifier associated with the UE.